1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a process and apparatus for removing the skins from the nut meat of shelled walnuts. More particularly, the method and apparatus of the invention allow the removal of the brown, thin, poor tasting skins from the nut meat of shelled walnuts, substantially without waste or breakage of the nut meat.
2. Prior Art
As is well known, the skins or pellicles of nuts found beneath the shells of the nuts, is often bitter, and detracts from the appearance and flavor of nuts in prepared foods or when eaten separately. It has been known to remove the skin of regularly shaped, rounded nuts by the use of jets of water on the nuts while the nuts are agitated, but the removal of the skins from shelled walnuts has generally been practiced by removal of the skins by hand, or by treatment in harsh solutions, or a combination of such practices, in order to avoid wasteful breakage of the nut meat, which occurs as a consequence of the highly irregular and convoluted of the nut meat, which makes removal of the skin an exceedingly difficult and painstaking process. Although the removal of skins from shelled walnuts has been practiced for centuries to produce an expensive delicacy for use in the preparation of various food dishes, the applicant is not aware of any known process or apparatus which allows for the removal of walnut skins in quantity, without substantial breakage of the nut meat, as is provided for by the process and apparatus of the present invention.